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UN adopts international treaty against forced disappearances
October 1, 2005 | Comments Off on UN adopts international treaty against forced disappearances
The United Nations has adopted an international treaty against forced disappearances, called the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists, the International Federation of Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch said that this a great step forward in the fight against forced disappearances, and called on all the UN member states to ensure that the treaty is ratified as soon as possible.
This convention is an important development in the fight against forced disappearances for several reasons. First, it is an autonomous treaty with its own monitoring organizations. This guarantees that the treaty will be effective in the future, even after reforms of the UN human rights system. Further, while the convention is based on established standards in customary law, it also recognizes a new right not to be subjected to forced disappearances; thus, it is an important step forward in the development of international law on the issue. The convention also recognizes that forced disappearance can be considered a crime against humanity it some instances, and so can be prosecuted in international criminal proceedings. Finally, the convention’s establishment of several legal instruments, such as the mandatory jurisdiction of the treaty’s committe in the case of urgent appeals, will allow the effective prevention of forced disappearances.
The Convention will be an invaluable tool in the fight against impunity for perpetrators of forced disappearances. The four human rights organizations also believe that the treaty provides a solid platform for the future, and they will watch to ensure that it is interpreted in an evolutionary way.
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